In Memoriam Pope Benedict XVI

Pope Benedict XVI was a special friend of The National Catholic Bioethics Center (NCBC) going back to the years when he served as prefect of the Congregation for the Doctrine of the Faith (CDF). He spoke at the NCBC workshop for bishops in 1984 and in 1991, and we published a book with his words of wisdom entitled “On Conscience” that is available for purchase. Pope Benedict XVI appointed our past NCBC president, Dr. John Haas, as a member of the Pontifical Academy for Life and a consultor to the Pontifical Council for the Pastoral Care of Health Care Workers.

Essays on EthicsJoseph Meaney, PhD—NCBC PresidentJanuary 6, 2023Catholic Health Care, Human Sexuality, Sacraments

The (Dis)Respect for Marriage Act

Marriage has a definition founded on the natural order. It is not an institution that can be redefined at the whim of judges or legislators or to appease social activist groups.

Essays on EthicsJoseph Meaney, PhD—NCBC PresidentDecember 16, 2022Catholic Health Care, Conscience and Civil Rights, Human Sexuality, Sacraments

Shocking Violations of Religious Liberty Rights

The Church must demand that fundamental rights be respected. A crisis is not an excuse for human rights violations. Rather it calls for greater accommodation and compassion for believers in danger of death, who may need a priest even more than a doctor as they prepare to meet their Maker.

Essays on EthicsJoseph Meaney, PhD—NCBC PresidentMay 29, 2020Sacraments, COVID-19, Conscience and Civil Rights

Temptations Prowl the World as We Stay In

When individuals take strong emotions like fear and mistake them for or convert them into sexual arousal, it can have very detrimental effects because a person in the grip of strong emotions is not thinking clearly. We should be aware of this phenomenon in order to stand firm against it. What are some ways we can resist?

Essays on EthicsJoseph Meaney, PhD—NCBC PresidentApril 24, 2020COVID-19, Sacraments, Addiction and Substance Abuse, Human Sexuality

Crux interview with NCBC President Joseph Meaney by Charles Collins, Managing Editor

An interview with Joseph Meaney published in Crux on March 25, 2020.

Essays on EthicsJoseph Meaney, PhD—NCBC PresidentMarch 27, 2020COVID-19, Catholic Health Care, Consultation, Professional Guidance, End-of-Life Issues, Vaccines and Vaccination, Sacraments, Conscience and Civil Rights

The Moral Mind